I am intrigued by your goals and the categories you have listed. I seem to find myself “borrowing” from your list only because I am sometimes at a loss for how to set goals and/or what our family’s goals should (or could) be. Do you have any recommendations on books for how to set goals? -Jana

We only have one life to live and I want to make the most of that one life, so I’m constantly re-evaluating my life to make sure I’m living intentionally and purposefully. Longterm and shorterm goals have been a huge help to me in making sure I’m aiming in the right direction in how I’m spending my time.

Before you can know if you are hitting the mark (or at least shooting in the right direction!), you first need to know what direction you are supposed to go in. So you should start by determining your priorities. Once you know what your specific priorities are for the season of life you are in, it is much easier to set goals for each week that would help you move in the direction you hope to be going in.

For instance, I’m not seeking to become a worldclass traveler, an Olympic swimmer, or an inventor right now (nor do I foresee any of those items being on my priority list any time in the distant future, either!) so none of the goals on my weekly goal list are going to push me closer to those things. However, I am seeking to be intentional and purposeful in prioritizing things that would help me improve and excel as a child of God, wife, mother, homeschool teacher, homemaker, blogger, and friend. So pretty much all of the goals on my weekly goal lists right now are made with those priorities in mind.

I wrote more about goal-setting and how to create a personal priorities list in my upcoming book. In addition, I’ve found a lot of helpful encouragement and inspiration this year from Today Matters and Eat That Frog.

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? If you feel comfortable doing so, I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!

I was a little more than a wee bit excited that Dave Ramsey endorsed my book. More like through-the-roof excited and ecstatic, jumping up and down for joy, calling my husband and squealing–you get the picture!!! 🙂

I also just called my husband and said, “MSM wrote a book and DAVE RAMSEY endorsed her book. Can you believe it? I wonder how she did that? I bet she freaked out!” Congrats-that’s a huge accomplishment.

I was a lot like Jana last week by “borrowing” from your list. Thanks for the redirection in focusing my goals on my big picture priorities. That really helps!

I was able to get a few things done last week, but I lost my goals sheet when my computer crashed 🙂 This week, I want to finish up a big website project that I want to launch asap. I also need to desperately mop my kitchen floor..yuck! A final goal (of course this list isn’t complete), I need to patiently and gently disciple my 4th grader in the ways of positive attitude and good time management as it concerns her school work and piano, not for the purpose of getting it marked off her “to do” list but to humbly present it before the Lord. Hmm..that last one might have to be an on-going goal.

What a great post; thanks for the reminders about living purposefully with priorities! Another great book that touches on this is “Creative Counterpart” by Linda Dillow. My mom gave it to me when I was engaged, and it was a great help in these areas. I think it’s about time for a re-reading, too! 🙂 Thanks again.

Crystal, I LOVE knitting wash cloths!! I think it is SO relaxing and it is something I never make time for. Maybe that should be one of my goals! Thanks for your series and congrats on your endorsement.

This is a great post Crystal! It really put into perspective the importance of setting weekly goals. For instance, I’ve been trying to motivate myself to keep up with running, but I never thought to set a weekly mileage goal. I’m definitely going to start doing that! Thanks for the great tips!

I have my weekly goals set! I’m a little disappointed at how few of the previous week’s goals I accomplished, but given the rain (that canceled my outdoor goal), and a nagging back issue that had me spending a lot of quality time with the ice pack, I did okay.

Today is my first day as a Stay At Home Mom! So my main goal this week is to not burn myself out or beg for my old job back 🙂

My goals:
Personal
1. Exercise 40 minutes daily
2. Set aside time to read from a book daily
3. Be patient and kind with the kids as we get used to our new routine
4. Pray daily and practice gratitude daily

Crystal, I know your reading list is probably a mile long. But, I think of you everytime I read Becoming a Woman of Influence by Carol Kent. Have you read it? Because I’m a pastor’s wife, I’m a “leader”, even though sometimes I don’t see it that way. However, when women are “looking” to you through their computer screens, just as they are when I’m interacting with church members, we are influencing them in so many ways. I hope you’ll consider reading it!

My only goal last week was to get my son started at Kindergarten & I accomplished that!

My goals for this week; Write 3 blog articles (I’m hoping to start my blog before the end of the year & want to have 15 to start with), finish sewing my skirt, start on PJ bottoms for winter for my son, start on a another skirt, make homemade spaghetti sauce (fingers crossed) & finally finish the book I’m reading on my phone/Kindle.

Good manners
1. Eat dinner at table to practice manners.DONE
Support each other
1. Message family each week. DONE
Family spending plan
1. Take Financial Peace class at church. DONE
2. Apply first class lesson to spending plan. WILL DO
Eat healthy
1. Increase vegetables and fruits in meal plan (i.e. cut up and make available for snacks). BOUGHT FRUITS & VEGGIES
Exercise
1. Walk each day to strengthen back. DONE
2. Stretch back 2x/day. PARTIALLY
Spirituality
1. Pray for my brother each day. DONE
Clean house
1. Clean area around the chimney of clutter. DONE
Relax
1. Plan to take kids to a movie at the dollar movie house. DONE
2. Plan a crafts activity this week to do with kids. NOT DONE
Organize
1. Make a project list and put in home binder. STARTED
Take care of belongings
1. Take car for to get oil changed. NOT DONE
2. Get brake light replaced this week. NOT DONE
Self care
1. Get a haircut. NOT DONE
2. Go to bed by 10 pm each night. PARTIALLY

September 12-18

Good manners
1. Eat dinner at table to practice manners.
Support each other
1. Message family each week.
Family spending plan
1. Apply first class Financial Peace lesson to spending plan.
2. Apple second lesson to spending plan.
Eat healthy
1.Eat 2 fruits and 2 vegetables servings/day.
Exercise
1. Walk each day to strengthen back.
2. Stretch back 2x/day.
3. Ice heels 3x/day.
Spirituality
1. Pray for my brother each day.
Clean house
1. Create a clutter free plan for living room.
Relax
1. Plan a crafts activity this week to do with kids.
Organize
1. Complete project list for home binder.
Take care of belongings
1. Take car for to get oil changed.
2. Get brake light replaced this week.
Self care
1. Get a haircut.
2. Go to bed by 10 pm 5 nights out of 7.

Crystal- Just wanted to say a big thank-you for being real, and breaking down your real life into bit size pieces for all to see. It’s got to be hard sometimes.
This mom of three really appreciates a look into your happenings. So when I feel the internal pressure to do it all, I can step back and back it into bit size pieces.
Also Congrats on the DR review!!! DR is BIG BIG time. : )

I’ve battled with anxiety and fear since the birth of my first child in 1996. Just recently I feel majorly attacked by Satan and I’m crippled with fear and what ifs.
I noticed one of your to read books, What Women Fear, Walking in Faith that transforms.
I’m now adding it to my list!

This has nothing to do with goals, but I had to comment when I saw you mention the Davy Crockett book! For some reason, my four-year-old finds him so fascinating. We just moved to TN not far from his birthplace, and we’ve been reading books, visiting the historic site, pretending to hunt bears in the backyard…the whole nine yards. She even has a coonskin cap! No one believes it when I tell them that her favorite character right now is Davy Crockett since she is otherwise such girly-girl. These are the best days, aren’t they? 🙂

DISHCLOTHES!!!! I knit those by the dozen. I am one of those woman that likes to redeem the time as much as possible, I can’t read in the car, it makes me dizzy and besides I also like to use this time to talk to my hubby while the kids are busy with my ipod touch (which they only get use of in the car) SO I KNIT, I can knit wash clothes without looking, don’t know how but I can. I also knit them while waiting for my kids to finish up activities, or while at lunch with friends, or while watching tv, or well just about anywhere. I actually had one friend tell me I should try to knit and run my next marathon. I give them to people with the verse “you knit me in my mother’s womb” and I prayed for God to cover my expenses for yarn, so that my hobby doesn’t cost the family, and every year He does, one Christmas I sold over 100 dish clothes, and a dozen girls purses I crochet. I always make sure to give away almost as many as I sell, and sometimes in the weirdest places God will tug at my heart to give my homemade clothes with the verse. It seems like such a small talent, but its fun to see ladies faces shine when they receive my homemade dish clothes.

Crystal you are such an inspiration! Thank you so much for posting such encouraging and helpful posts day in and day out! Your husband is very blessed to have you as a wife and your kids are blessed to have you as a Mom! Thank you for posting how you set your goals– I had never really thought of it that way (setting goals that correspond directly with my priorities). I would say my top priorities are: my relationship with God, my husband, our little home, my health, my family and friends and my jobs.

Here are some of my goals for this week:
1. Clean out our refrigerator and cupboards
2. Yoga 6 times and run 2 times (at least 10 minutes each time)
3. Start writing in a journal/keepsake book I am going to send to my husband on our 1 year anniversary when he is in Afghanistan.
4. Finish “Choosing Gratitude” by Nancy DeMoss
5. Finish this weeks’ portion of the Bible study book the women’s group is going through at our church.
6. Laundry, laundry, laundry. 🙂

I have lots of goals as well. One of mine is to spend more 1:1 time with each of my kids. Today, my littlest one went down for a nap earlier which left me with my toddler for about an hour until it was his nap time. I was tempted to clean up the kitchen and prep dinner, but instead I played tinker toys with him and did some arts n’ crafts with him. It was really wonderful. It’s amazing how well behaved, focused and patient he becomes when it’s just him and I! 🙂

I love making a 2-week mini-planner using http://www.pocketmod.com. I need help in my organization, but hate carrying around a planner/calendar. So this pocket-sized planner is perfect for me. You pick the pages you want included and print it off. I decided to have my week planner on the left and a bullet-point sheet on the right to record my goals so that I see them constantly and am reminded of what I am striving for.

Also, I have realized that my mothering goals are hard… I guess I feel like I’ve been shooting in the dark. So I’m glad you have encouraged us to do this exercise. Makes me be more intentional about many areas in my life.

I have done weekly goals for years and love the idea of putting it out for others to see. Running three different business requires me to goal set and stay on task daily or there is no way I would be able to survive and keep all our balls in the air.

I so need to start doing this but find myself putting goal setting and planning off, then it never gets done and I sit and think about it a lot….any ideas on how to set goals and actually stick to them??

Congratulations on the Dave Ramsey endorsement! My hubby, who normally scoffs just a little at my blog reading, was fairly impressed when I mentioned that to him. 🙂

I’ve been having hard time with my to-do lists the last couple of weeks… keep having other unplanned things come up that take priorty over my list items. Hoping that comes to an end soon, so I can stop feeling overwhelmed. I did put a couple fun things on my list this week though – just to make things seem not so all-work-and-no-play! 🙂

Loving this sheet. I had spaced a few items this week but overall the biggest things I wanted to accomplish, I took care of. It’s amazing how much making a list helps. And I really like the way you broke yours down Crystal. I’m working on getting more into my days, not so much ala flylady like but overall making sure most all goals get met, including my own 😉